Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.32
July 26, 2021
The acceleration of e-commerce demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in groceries, has been well-documented, but the growing use of automation isn't as straightforward, finds a recent study. “E-Grocery Infrastructure 2021” from London-based STIQ Ltd. examines the growing pains around the adoption of micro-fulfillment centers, mobile robots for indoor use, and delivery drones and robots. Legacy, brick-and-mortar retailers faced shutdowns, staffing shortages, and tightened profit margins during the pandemic, causing many to delay projects and investment in new technologies, said STIQ, which does business as Styleintelligence. At the same time, larger e-commerce players such as Ocado Group PLC and Amazon.com…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 1.40
July 23, 2021
…year's delay and much uncertainty because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games have begun. Japan has suffered some setbacks in preparing for the event, with the ongoing pandemic and Delta variant precluding spectators, eliminating some athletes and teams, and threatening financial losses. However, the opening ceremonies went smoothly, and Japan hopes to demonstrate its sporting and robotics prowess to the world. “The Tokyo Games will prove just how useful robots can be,” said Filipe Oliveira, a senior analyst in the Thematic Team at GlobalData. “Robotics is a fast-growing industry, and by showcasing new technology at the…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.76
July 22, 2021
…rates of production. Despite the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic, innovation and smart technologies can combine for the greater good, according to a Deloitte insight on “Accelerating Smart Manufacturing.” Additive manufacturing and robotics represent one such combination. “Essentially, an ecosystem is formed when different entities come together in meaningful ways to solve shared challenges and meet shared objectives,” said Deloitte analysts. “Effective ecosystems enable a cumulative 'network' effect for participants and create value greater than the sum of parts, driving higher performance and creating exponential results. Underlying all of this is the concept of collaborating and co-evolving.” Based on…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.23
July 21, 2021
…cost-effectively solve equity, mobility, and connectivity problems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, observers have said that people would leave cities and never come back, but people are coming back. The conventional wisdom that everything's going to happen one way or another is wrong. Sean Harrington, Optimus Ride CEO Harrington: We have a very specific focus around AVs, and one of the most valuable things we can get from the advisory board is perspective and a broader view from the members' time in the private and public sector. We can “pressure test” ideas so that we're not missing something at urban transportation…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.65
July 19, 2021
…greatly improving fulfilment and dispatch rates, said the partners. “COVID-19 placed immense pressure on e-commerce retailers, and we saw volumes reach record heights across the entire retail landscape,” said Malcolm Druce, managing partner at BPS Global. “We're thrilled to work with Booktopia on the first-ever deployment of this innovative automation solution in Australia. This investment ensures they are well-placed to meet rising demands and continue to service the nation with its favorite books.” HAI Robotics expands beyond China Established in 2016, HAI Robotics said it is a pioneer in autonomous case-handling robotics (ACR) systems. The Shenzhen, China-based company said its…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 1.10
July 17, 2021
…launched contactless deliveries with its “Magic Pods” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Xia Huaxia, chief scientist and head of AI platform at Meituan, said he hopes to take advantage of 5G networking as soon as it becomes more widely available. The company has been testing delivery drones since 2017, and it announced a self-developed drone earlier this month. Last year, Meituan invested $14.2 million in Pudu Technology Inc., which makes service robots for restaurants. In May, the company invested in the Series C round for 3D vision company Mech-Mind Robotics. Meituan is hiring up to 60,000 more people this year as…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 1.68
July 15, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic increased interest in cleaning and disinfection robots worldwide. Dutch robotics startup AZIOBOT BV has teamed up with Belgian network operator Proximus to test its SB2 floor-cleaning robots over a 5G wireless network. “COVID-19 has raised awareness of autonomous robots tremendously, especially for cleaning in public spaces such as airports, schools, and hospitals,” stated Sarthak Yadav, CEO of AZIOBOT. “That’s where our robots are playing a vital role.” AZIOBOT said its goal is to make autonomous technology as easy for businesses to use as consumers can operate smartphones. The company has received investor from Koolen Industries and Amsterdam-based…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.42
July 14, 2021
Even as the U.S. economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortage of skilled labor in manufacturing persists, threatening the nation's competitiveness. In May, the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute launched RoboticsCareer.org as an online resource to help address workforce challenges. The Pittsburgh-based ARM Institute is a public-private consortium backed by the U.S. Department of Defense with more than 300 members from academia, government, and industry. It seeks to help manufacturers through the adoption of robots and workforce development programs. RoboticsCareer.org identifies core competencies that employers are seeking, recognizes education and training programs, and helps connect job seekers…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.18
July 09, 2021
…radio, movie theaters and even conventional television broadcasting. The COVID-19 pandemic gave a new meaning to disruption given the scale and scope of the global shutdown of supply chains. Previous supply chain disruptions were typically regionalized and time-limited: When a hurricane threatens to hit the Atlantic coast, manufacturers and distributors in the Carolinas may not be able to predict the storm damage, but they can predict more or less when they’ll be hit and know that if they’re still standing after the storms pass, how long it’ll take to get back up and running. This was not only different in…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.38
July 05, 2021
…positive behavior. Robot brings healthcare to the home The COVID-19 pandemic not only increased the isolation and loneliness of many seniors, but it also heightened the recognition of the importance of bringing healthcare into homes of older adults. ElliQ is aimed at keeping older adults healthy, active, and independent at home, bridging the gap between them and their healthcare providers. Intuition Robotics said the expansion of the robot's capabilities will help improve the overall patient experience, while offering primary care providers continuous actionable data and insights for early detection and intervention. “ElliQ is in a unique position to help providers…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.78
July 01, 2021
…U.S., despite last year's decline in traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic, noted Ghost. Even semi-autonomous and fully autonomous vehicles struggle to recognize and avoid every potential obstacle on the road, instead relying on human intervention to handle edge cases and prevent crashes, it noted. “Crash prevention is the single most important problem in driving,” stated John Hayes, co-founder and CEO of Ghost Locomotion. “Automotive safety innovation has historically focused on alleviating the effects of crashes. Now we finally have the technology to prevent crashes before they occur – the breakthrough needed to bring safe self-driving to our highways.” Ghost uses…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 1.16
July 01, 2021
…in the U.S. and Africa respond quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic, distributing vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in Ghana and transporting PPE in North Carolina with Novant Health Signed new partnerships with Nigeria’s Kaduna and Cross River states to deliver medical supplies, including vaccines, blood, and medicine Entered Japan through a first-of-its-kind strategic operational partnership with Toyota Group Announced a partnership with Walmart to bring on-demand delivery of health and wellness products to the U.S. Partnered with Pfizer to design and test delivery systems to safely, efficiently, and equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines in countries where Zipline operates Surpassed 10…
